By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A U.S. decide on Thursday dismissed seven lawsuits by traders who accused Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:) and Morgan Stanley of misconduct that fueled the fast March 2021 collapse of Invoice Hwang’s $36 billion agency Archegos Capital Administration.
U.S. District Choose Jed Rakoff in Manhattan dismissed the traders’ market manipulation and insider buying and selling claims with prejudice, which means they can’t be introduced once more.
A unique decide had dismissed the lawsuits final March, however let the traders sue Goldman and Morgan Stanley once more. The Wall Avenue banks had been two of Archegos’ prime brokers.
Archegos’ collapse stemmed from Hwang’s use of economic contracts referred to as complete return swaps to take outsized stakes in his favourite holdings together with ViacomCBS (NASDAQ:), Discovery (NASDAQ:) and Baidu (NASDAQ:), constructing an estimated $160 billion of inventory publicity.
Traders in Hwang’s shares sought to carry Goldman and Morgan Stanley responsible for promoting these shares, primarily based on their inside data that Hwang would even be a vendor as a result of he was unable to satisfy margin calls.
The traders mentioned the mixed promoting saddled them with large losses, whereas Goldman and Morgan Stanley escaped billions of {dollars} of losses of their very own.
In a one-paragraph order, Rakoff didn’t clarify his reasoning and mentioned an opinion would comply with sooner or later.
Attorneys representing the traders didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. Goldman didn’t instantly reply to related requests. Morgan Stanley declined to remark.
Archegos’ collapse precipitated billions of {dollars} in losses for banks resembling Credit score Suisse, which was later purchased by Swiss rival UBS, and Japan’s Nomura Holdings (NYSE:).
Hwang and former Archegos Chief Monetary Officer Patrick Halligan face a scheduled Could 8 felony trial in Manhattan over their roles within the collapse.
Each pleaded not responsible to securities fraud, wire fraud and racketeering conspiracy costs. Hwang has additionally pleaded not responsible to separate market manipulation costs. The trial might final months.
The investor lawsuits within the U.S. District Court docket, Southern District of New York are Tan v. Goldman Sachs Group Inc et al, No. 21-08413; Florio v. Goldman Sachs Group Inc et al, No. 21-08618; Merson v. Goldman Sachs Group Inc et al, No. 21-08752; Ulanch v. Goldman Sachs Group Inc et al, No. 21-08897; Felix v. Goldman Sachs Group Inc et al, No. 21-10286; Scully v. Goldman Sachs Group Inc et al, No. 21-10791, and Lee v. Goldman Sachs Group Inc et al, No. 22-00169.
